Working with the customer for that special solution

Översikt

Cheminova A/S produces and markets fine chemicals, the most important product group being plant protection products. The annual turnover from the company’s production plants in Denmark and the subsidiaries in the main markets totals about 3 billion DKK. As much as 99 per cent of the turnover derives from exports to more than 100 countries across the world. Cheminova A/S employs 900 persons in Denmark and 600 abroad.

The Situation
During the manufacturing process it is crucial to avoid leakage. The pumps are often required to deal with liquids at high temperatures, and to handle vacuums, etc.

The company had a particular problem: In connection with a distillation process, a CRN pump with a double seal circulates the liquid. This process is carried out under a 95% vacuum, and as the pump is placed approximately 2m below the water surface, we are in problem territory for pump suppliers. Vacuum operation typically causes the following problems:

- The seal opens up, which means that air is drawn into the plant. This can ruin the seal when the pump is restarted, and air may also have an adverse effect on the process. This is solved by using a double seal.
- When it comes to a stop, the pump is drained and cannot be restarted without being primed. This is solved by applying a vacuum pipe directly at the top of the pump and by using the re-circulation function in the pump suction chamber.

All in all, the company needed a product that was 100 per cent adapted to customer requirements.

The Grundfos Solution
Cheminova A/S has always been very satisfied with Grundfos’ pumps, which are used for supplying heat and water to the factory. In 2001, Cheminova A/S collaborated with Grundfos on a process-oriented solution to the problem described above. This would require a different type of pump.

The answer was a stainless steel centrifugal pump (CRN) fitted with O-rings that are resistant to chemicals. This version has a double mechanical shaft seal that can withstand liquid temperatures of up to 120°C indefinitely. There is also a barrier fluid chamber that prevents leakage, meeting the company’s environmental requirements of a leak-free pump that would perform perfectly under the specified conditions in the plant.

The Outcome
The collaboration between Cheminova A/S and Grundfos is typical of the partnerships that have solved individual companies’ problems and led to Grundfos developing a wide range of special solutions.Grundfos has become a key supplier of supply and process pumps.